No Stopping Probe On Ex-CJN Tanko, Supreme Court Justices’ Face-Off – Senate
- Crisis shocking, embarrassing for judicial family – Senator Omo-Agege
- Says financial independence for judiciary long overdue
The Nigerian Senate says the resignation of Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) notwithstanding, the probe on his face-off with Supreme Court Justices over stinking corruption allegations in the Judiciary will still be carried out.
The Senate’s resolutions on Monday followed a motion titled; ”Matter of Urgent Public Importance on the State of Affairs in the Supreme Court of Nigeria and Demand by Justices of the Court, pursuit to rules 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders, 2022, as Amended.”
The motion was sponsored by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Ekiti Central.
In resolving not to back down on the investigation, the upper Legislative Chamber mandated its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to handle the unhealthy development for a positive outcome.
Accordingly, the Senator Bamidele-led Senate Committee is to interact with relevant stakeholders towards addressing the complaints raised in the apex Court Justices’ petition and finding a lasting solution to the disturbing challenges.
Similarly, the Committee will interface with the relevant stakeholders in all arms of Government as well as the Bar and the Bench to aggregate views and positions that would assist the judiciary address existing and emerging challenges hampering its effective service delivery.
Most importantly, the solutions proffered must address burning issues in the short term, medium term and long term, particularly the immediate fiscal intervention, while accommodating sustainable budgetary allocations needed to make the Judiciary function optimally in line with global best practices.
However, in praying for the former CJN’s good health, the Red Chamber wishes him well in future endeavours given his many years of meritorious service to the country.
The Senate had last week waded into the corruption allegation rocking the Judiciary, mandating its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to Investigate the faceoff between the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed
The move was against the backdrop of a memo by 14 Justices of the Supreme Court alleging corruption and protesting the non-payment of their legitimate entitlements by the Justice Tanko Mohammed as the then CJN.
The allegations, which also raised issues around blocked annual foreign training, meant to enhance capacity building for the country’s judicial process, were however debunked by Justice Tanko.
At the Senate sitting on Monday, Senator Bamidele, while presenting the motion said; “The Senate Recalls that on Tuesday 21 June, 2022, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (Ph.D), CON, drew the attention of Senate to the media reports on the state of affairs in the Supreme Court of Nigeria, whereby Justices of the Court, through a petition signed by majority of them, raised issues bordering on deplorable welfare conditions and difficult working environment for the Justices, which was addressed to the Hon. The Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council.”
But the lawmaker noted that the “Hon. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed on Sunday 27th June, 2022, voluntarily resigned his appointment on grounds of ill-health, leaving the most senior Justice to act as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.”
Continuing, he said; “However, this development will not prevent the Committee from going ahead with its assignment in the quest to find a probable lasting solution to the matter.”
Intervening on the motion, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, APC, Delta Central said; “I am very embarrassed as a lawyer and also someone from the judicial family. Seeing that petition on the social media and eventually on the mainstream media, I was taken aback because it has never happened. It is unprecedented.”
Noting that there is no excuse for the judicial arm not to function independently on all fronts, the lawmaker said; “There is no reason why the judiciary should lack anything financially.”
For Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, though the emphasis centred around funding, the Red Chamber must critically look at all the issues, beyond funding.
“We should look at other areas whether there is need to improve on the structure or having issues that may not be about funding, but funding is of course is a major issue”, Senate Lawan admonished his colleagues.